Love the game, hate the business.

Napoli fans were warned by UEFA yesterday about their conduct in last night’s match against Chelsea, regarding flares, here is the outcome…

 What were UEFA honestly expecting? Napoli sell flares outside the ground, so there is little hope that none will be set off during the game.

Following up to yesterday’s post regarding how much damage Sky Sports and other channels such as ESPN have done, FWFIN is sure you’re wondering, how can football will survive without television? We understand that it has progressed a hell of a lot, but there was football for more than a hundred years before the level of television coverage was introduced in the early 90s. Stadiums would be packed to the rafters, there would be no such thing as dwindling attendances like there is today; so what is the difference? Price is the answer. Clearly you have to make room for some inflation as with everything, but paying around £50 if not more at some Premiership grounds is nothing less than daylight robbery. A few decades ago it wouldn’t be more than a few quid and the experience would be ten times the experience as well. Which is why FWFIN will look into the ticket pricing structure of clubs and try and get them significantly reduced, one way or another and boycotts will be organised around the country.

Some football clubs are very well run, others, are not; it’s as simple as that. Some chairmen and chief executives make a mockery of the clubs supporters and it’s not right, with the fans, football is nothing and some clubs hierarchy need to switch on and realise that. The majority of clubs will argue that they do have offers in place, but even then, you have to question the motive behind them, because it’s just another way of squeezing money out of the supporter. FWFIN can see from a different perspective that at times it can be quite difficult to run a football club, but at other times, the simple decisions are just over complicated to an horrendous degree.   

Change is on the horizon, we need to take a leaf out of Germany’s book and see how the Bundesliga is run, because that is what we, in England, should be aiming for. Safe standing is incorporated, the experience for the supporters is incredible compared to what it is over here. Germany realises that football without fans is nothing, it’s about time we did.

FWFIN.

Absolutely anything can be achieved.

For far too long have we taken too much slack off our clubs for not being correct, if you take Man United as a prime example, even though they’re one of the biggest clubs in the world, if not the biggest, there supporters still get messed about. For the past few seasons anytime they make the short journey over to Anfield, they’ve had their allocation cut, due to ‘persistent standing’, what is wrong with standing? You can have stewards giving you a constant reminder to sit down due to ground regulations, however when it’s half time, you can stand freely, without any restrictions imposed by the ground staff.

This is just one of the examples where ridiculous regulations are put in place, just to defer the experience of a football fan. Which is why it’s absolutely crucial that safe standing is introduced back in England; it’s come to the stage where it has been discussed in parliament, but that is all it has been. However, once the wheels are in motion, it will be pushed and pushed until they have no choice but to seriously consider it. In Germany, Borussia Dortmund have the Die Südtribüne, which is the biggest free standing terrace in Europe, it’s absolutely incredible, it holds 25,000 people which is more than some Premiership grounds. If Germany can do it, why can’t we?

It’s going to be the case of someone having to take a lead and then hopefully the rest will follow, because it’s something that is a must, because the way that football is going, all the stadiums will become souless bowls, take Arsenal for example, at Highbury, the atmosphere was quite impressive, at the Emirates, it’s nigh on non existent at times. Imagine though, if one of the stands behind the goal was standing though, that would improve the atmosphere tenfold, at least.

What would football actually be like that without fans, though? Admittedly you would have you Man City’s who would be able to operate without any fuss due to the fact that are ridiculously wealthy, but if you look at other Premiership clubs, your likes of Newcastle, Everton, Stoke, they would not be able to function without their loyal supporters. It’s not just in the top division though, if you look even down to non league, club’s would be nowhere without their fans.

Given time, boycotts will be organised around the country, so for one set weekend next season, the majority of grounds will be half empty if not less, because maybe then, the club’s will take the supporters seriously. The spiraling ticket prices are disgusting, it’s pricing your working class man out of the game, and that’s something that needs looking into.

Just remember, football without fans is nothing.